JYP Entertainment Signs With The Orchard

JYP Entertainment houses some of K-pop’s
biggest and most beloved acts and the South Korean super-label is
expanding its reach thanks to a new partnership with The Orchard.

Announced today (March 11), JYP Entertainment (JYPE) shared that they reached a new partnership with Sony Music Entertainment’s The Orchard for global digital and physical distribution. JYPE will distribute both digital and physical releases to key markets in the United States, Europe and beyond through The Orchard. According to a press release shared from Seoul, the two companies will work together to “expand the label’s presence around the world.”

Those familiar with the partnership add that not only will JYPE artists have more opportunities for their physical products to reach fans—physical albums continue to be a hot commodity for K-pop supporters with album packages boasting pages of colorful photos, photo cards and other novelties inside—but will see the artists on more digital platforms starting today.

Founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park, JYPE has grown into one of the biggest Korean entertainment agencies with its large roster of domestically and internationally adored artists including 2PM, TWICE, GOT7, DAY6, 15&, and rising newcomers like Stray Kids and ITZY. The company has also been integral in the careers of historical K-pop acts like g.o.d, Rain, Wonder Girls, miss A and more, and notably saw Wonder Girls become the first-ever K-pop act to land a single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with 2009’s “Nobody.” Many K-pop fans are also a fan of the label itself with JYPE boasting 11 million subscribers on YouTube (with its most-watched video from girl group TWICE and their “TT” video, above, with 442 million views at the moment), as well as 3.2 million followers both on Twitter and Instagram.

This isn’t The Orchard’s first dive into the K-pop scene with the Sony subsidiary previously distributing chart-topping band BTS (who eventually linked up with Sony’s Columbia Records) as well solo stars Chung Ha and Eric Nam.